Novel toolset for untimed verification of UML models
Aiming at increasing the efficiency and competitiveness of the European software industry, the OMEGA project developed a methodology and the tools for real-time and embedded systems using the Unified Model Language (UML). With the aid of the UML open method artefacts of an object-oriented software-intensive system under development can be specified, visualised, built and documented. Offering a compilation of "best practices" the UML is very suitable for modelling large complex systems. One of the components of the project's toolset is the UML Verification Environment (UVE) that checks dynamic properties of the OMEGA kernel model - structure, behaviour and order of object communication. These properties relate to the functional and qualitative temporal features of the model and can be combined into formulas. Requirements that are taken into account are those related to the number of steps in the model's execution involving discrete time, such as relative time durations. Key functionalities of UVE tool include verification of a set of temporal logic formulas, such as check of reachability, invariance, liveness and safety. The tool also can check the compliance of the design of the Live Sequence Charts (LSCs) to specifications. Additionally, UVE can verify the generation of the sequence diagrams either as witness-paths for properties and existential LSCs or as counterpaths/error paths for invariant properties. The tool can verify requirements under various kinds of assumptions and allows visualisation of results with the aid of Symbolic Timing Diagrams (STDs) and LSCs. It comprises two components: a Rhapsody-based (RUVE) and a XMI-based (XUVE), which is a XML metadata interchange format. Fine tuning and initiation of the verification process is performed using either the Rhapsody graphical interface or a command line without a UML tool. For more information on the OMEGA toolset click at: http://www-omega.imag.fr/tools.php
